Tag Archives: seeding

Winter is going to be here before you know it, now is the time to plan for winterizing your sprinkler system (irrigation system). Most irrigation systems will retain a small amount of water in the lateral lines, even if you have automatic drain back valves installed. And the valve boxes are all

An automatic drain back valve in an irrigation system. It helps to eliminate water from standing in the system

susceptible to freezing because they are exposed to the elements except for a thin plastic lid. If a valve freezes and breaks, it is usually an expensive repair.

Winterizing your system is usually going to require having the installer, or a qualified Landscape Professional, that has knowledge about the operation of an irrigation system, pumps that pump out of the lake for water source, and all of the different timers, valves and related systems that make up an irrigation system, to do it for you. A properly installed irrigation system is quite complex and needs the expertise of someone that has done it for years to service it for you.

LawnMasters has been installing and maintaining irrigation systems for 26 years. One of the first systems we installed was on Kentucky Lake for a nice lady who had recently lost her husband. He had started building an irrigation system, but passed away before he could complete it.

We completed the system for her in 1990, and it is still being used today.

Winterizing an irrigation system involves hooking an air compressor up to the system, utilizing a couple of different options, then charging the system with air pressure to blow the water out of the system.

An irrigation head blowing out any water in the line during winterization

Two problems can surface during this action, one is the system can be damaged if too much air pressure is applied to it. Or second, the system can still be damaged by freezing water if all of the water is not purged from the system. Again, knowledge is king when servicing a system that costs thousands to install.

Once we have the system winterized, we turn it off and put it to bed for the season, ready to be started when needed in Spring, protecting your valuable irrigation system and your investment.

When Spring comes, the system should be ready to just turn on the water, adjust your automatic timer and let it take off again.

When should you have your irrigation system winterized? It depends on what part of the US you are in, when your expected first freeze will be, and if you are doing Fall seeding.

Obviously, the farther North you are, the sooner you will have to winterize your system, an easy rule is to have it done prior to the expected date of your first freeze. If you are done using your system for the year, go ahead and schedule to have it done, or do it yourself if you are able. There is no benefit in waiting, and, if you wait until the last minute before the first expected freeze, you may not be able to get on the schedule to get it done in time.

New Sod Being Watered

If you are doing some Fall overseeding, aeration and seeding or have installed sod, you may need to wait until the last minute. Still, if you are planning on waiting right up until the last day or so before freeze is expected, go ahead and call to get on the winterizing schedule and you can still get it done.

The first freeze usually isn’t the killer freeze that damages a lot of water pipes. The first time it freezes, the ground is still above freezing and the temps usually don’t drop that far below freezing, and most components will not freeze.

But after the ground gets cold enough, and the daytime temps stop getting warm enough to keep the ground warm, a moderate freeze can do major damage to the system.

If you have the knowledge and equipment, you can winterize your irrigation system yourself. If you don’t, or you’re not quite sure how to go about it, give us a call, it’s not that expensive and can save you hundreds of dollars in repair bills come Spring time.

If you need help with winterizing your system, you can contact us a number of ways

Most homeowners want a pretty lawn, you have spent thousands on your home and it’s just natural to want to make it look as good as it possibly can. A beautiful, lush, green lawn will frame the home and set it off. So, how do you get it?

You can call us, we can do anything for you that your mind can believe and conceive, but the bigger the dream, the bigger the price tag. You can still get some of what you want by doing the work yourself. Just order our book “Establish and Maintain a First Class Lawn, Like a Pro”

Install the lawn of your dreams using our expertise, and your hard work.

This book is the result of our 26 years experience, years of studying lawn and turf principles and methods, and putting them to use in the real world.

We lay out the “how to’s” to get a great looking lawn. Everything from different methods of establishing a lawn. From the total kill down and complete restoration to a simple aerate and overseed method. Which is best for your lawn, when to do it, how much seed to use, how much and what kind of fertilizer should you use, and how you should maintain your new lawn once it comes in.

Everything that we lay out for you to do, is taken directly from our experience in doing exactly what we do for our customers each and every day.

If you have the energy, and desire to do this yourself, you surely can. It’s hard work! But with guidance, you can do it!

Over the last 26 years, we have gladly given away thousands of dollars worth of information, advice and instructions on how to do certain lawn and landscape maintenance chores. We are happy to help our customers. If you download our book, you automatically get access to answers to your questions by email. Just drop us a note and we are happy to answer and help you.

Lawnmasters was started in 1990 after owner and founder, Greg Pierce had just finished up his second bout with cancer, and it’s treatments. The Company was then started out of his love of seeing a new lawn establish and grow into a beautiful, lush, green lawn. Greg Pierce, CTP (Certified Turfgrass Professional) founded Lawnmasters as a “Weed and Feed” type of Company to apply fertilizer and weed control products to the lawns of customers in our service area. This was all we planned to do, but due to the demand for more services, we started doing complete lawn and landscape design, installation, and maintenance.

We quickly grew from a one-man business to one of the largest lawn and landscape Companies in our area.

Today, we are finishing our 26th year in business and have serviced customers from Paducah, KY, to Memphis, TN, to Franklin, TN. We are licensed, insured, bonded, and chartered, for our customer’s protection. We have been very successful in our field for the last 26 years, and we are happy to give back to those who have helped us get there.

Greg has also finished his third fight with cancer and is currently doing well.

This is a common question we get here at Lawnmasters. And I have to say that the answer changes depending on your property. If you have full sun, full shade or a mixture of the two, you will have choices to make. Also, where you live in the United States is going to change the answer.

For our area, West Tennessee, we have four main types of grass that we can grow well.

1) Bermuda Grass – Bermuda in Hybrid or Common varieties will grow very well in our area as long as you have full sun. Bermuda will not grow in the shade at all. As a matter of fact, when someone asks me how can they get rid of the Bermuda in their lawn because they want another variety, I say MOVE! That’s the only way you will have no Bermuda. Shade is the only thing that will kill it out. Even spraying it with Round Up will not kill it. It will just grow right back. So if you have full sun, and want a maintenance free lawn, go with Bermuda.

2) Zoysia Grass – Zoysia (Japanese Lawn Grass) is a cousin to Bermuda. It grows in the same full sun conditions and is a Warm Season Grass just like Bermuda. Only it will take much more shade than Bermuda. So you can sod it or sprig it near trees, just not all the way up under them. Zoysia grows very thick and lush and is the cadillac of the lawn grasses for our area.

3) Fescue – Fescue will grow in the shade, so it is a choice when you have a shady lawn. Our problem with Fescue in our area is that lately, (last 4 years) we have had yearly droughts and the fescue takes a beating from the heat, drought stress and gets beat up on by the trees that it grows under. The tree competes with the grass for water, and the tree wins. Fescue will grow in the full sun also, again, our problem here in this part of the US is that in the Summer the climate conditions are just a little too harsh. If we have mild Summers it will survive just fine. But as a general rule, the Fescue has to be re-seeded every fall to keep it thick. Fungus also hits it hard, mainly Brown Patch. It is a cool season grass and looks the best for longer of the year. But it’s high maintenance. Use it with caution.

4) Bluegrass – Some new varieties of Bluegrass are out that are handling the heat and climate of our area much better, and the jury is still out on them as to whether or not they are a good choice. In the past, the Bluegrass varieties would die out from too much heat. I hope these new varieties work out well, there is a place for them in our zone. Bluegrass is a cool season grass and will take the sun and shade so if they do work out, it would be a good choice.

Which is right for your lawn will depend on how much shade and how much maintenance expense and or time you are willing to put into it.

For more information on Lawn grass types, maintenance and establishment go to our website Here Lawnmasters